For My Birthday I Spent a Lot of $$$

Let's just say some days are better left forgotten. The kind of days when everything feels wrong and goes wrong and the delicate juggling act we try to keep in the air comes crashing down on our own heads.
I would first like to thank Officer W. for issuing me a traffic ticket for my inspection that expired two weeks ago. If he hadn't stopped me, I might not ever have noticed it was overdue. I would also be $91 richer.
I would also like to thank the mechanical-powers-that-be for giving me a car that is now parked on my lawn with the hood up and the engine guts all disassembled to pieces. How would I otherwise be reminded of what a great mechanic Steve is (even though that's not really what he does) who is able fix my fuel pump and cam shaft? I even got to peer into the mysterious depths of a VW engine and marvel at how a tiny little engine like that has the power to make a car run. I would also be $800+ richer. We had to recite our mantra: "It's less than a couple of car payments."
So, I started this day thinking it was all about me. My day, what I wanted to do, my plans and my schemes. Silly me. I was happy when it was my bedtime, though. I was ready to call it a day sometime around two in the afternoon. As Tess' piano teacher said, I need to call a do-over!